From a reader: I’m reading your book, insurgency, etc hoping I can help change our schools to Classical Christian - but I have a question. Is it not important to eliminate the Dept of Education in congress and let the states pursue your insurgency?….Tom
Answer: Certainly, the U.S. Dept of Education should be abolished. It's not a function of the federal government. But, that really won't accomplish much. They distribute strings attached money, sure. The real tentacles are in the extensive system of teacher colleges, teacher licensing, school accreditation, state compulsory education statutes, and other administrative rules. These are where the real damage is done. Those wanting to help should petition their state legistlatures to: 1) remove accreditation requirements for regional accreditors. 2) Allow private schools to operate without any government oversight. 3) Disallow colleges from giving state diplomas preference over those schools operated independently.
Thanks for your excellent work, David. Does this piece apply to Hillsdale charter schools? I commonly hear from friends/other parents that they can’t afford private schools. Charters seem a viable option—but not when they’re trounced, as in the case of Nova. Thanks again.
As much as I appreciate Hillsdale and the work they've done, I am concerned about their charters on two fronts. First, without Christ at the center of classical education, it collapses as students are taught to pursue "truth", but when someone proposes "truth", students respond "says who?" At CCE schools, we follow the narrative arch of scripture and tell a convincing story that "The God of the Universe" said so. That's not an allowed source for Hillsdale charters. Secondly, resources are pouring into Hillsdale charters and they are on a leash. As soon as the Left feels threatened, it will be easy for them to take control of the Charters. It has happened in Idaho and Minnesota, and after the election, Michigan might be next.
As a classical charter school teacher (in California of all states) I believe it is important to maintain a presence and build influence within the public school realm for classical schools. While we look to CCE schools as the leaders in this resurgence and appreciate all they do, we need to actively work towards reclaiming and decentralizing our public education system, and charter schools are effective means to that end. We at John Adams Academies, Great Hearts Academies, and Hillsdale Academies may be one election away from experiencing state pressure when it comes to sex ed., DEI training, and trasngender law suits, but parents and local board members and state administrators are increasingly seeing the need for alternative public programs and are becoming more willing to fight for the integrity of classical charter schools. We may not enjoy the benefit of a unified Christian curriculum and historical narrative taught explicitly in a theology class, but humans were discovering the objective truths of reality long before Christ and by virtue of reading the classics our students can't help but learn and discuss openly the doctrines and beliefs that have shapped Judeo-Christian religions.
Charter schools have their problems but they also have their place, and I think if Mr. Goodwin came to our John Adams Academies in the Sacramento area, and invite him to do so, he would give us a solid B at least.
From a reader: I’m reading your book, insurgency, etc hoping I can help change our schools to Classical Christian - but I have a question. Is it not important to eliminate the Dept of Education in congress and let the states pursue your insurgency?….Tom
Answer: Certainly, the U.S. Dept of Education should be abolished. It's not a function of the federal government. But, that really won't accomplish much. They distribute strings attached money, sure. The real tentacles are in the extensive system of teacher colleges, teacher licensing, school accreditation, state compulsory education statutes, and other administrative rules. These are where the real damage is done. Those wanting to help should petition their state legistlatures to: 1) remove accreditation requirements for regional accreditors. 2) Allow private schools to operate without any government oversight. 3) Disallow colleges from giving state diplomas preference over those schools operated independently.
Thanks for your excellent work, David. Does this piece apply to Hillsdale charter schools? I commonly hear from friends/other parents that they can’t afford private schools. Charters seem a viable option—but not when they’re trounced, as in the case of Nova. Thanks again.
As much as I appreciate Hillsdale and the work they've done, I am concerned about their charters on two fronts. First, without Christ at the center of classical education, it collapses as students are taught to pursue "truth", but when someone proposes "truth", students respond "says who?" At CCE schools, we follow the narrative arch of scripture and tell a convincing story that "The God of the Universe" said so. That's not an allowed source for Hillsdale charters. Secondly, resources are pouring into Hillsdale charters and they are on a leash. As soon as the Left feels threatened, it will be easy for them to take control of the Charters. It has happened in Idaho and Minnesota, and after the election, Michigan might be next.
As a classical charter school teacher (in California of all states) I believe it is important to maintain a presence and build influence within the public school realm for classical schools. While we look to CCE schools as the leaders in this resurgence and appreciate all they do, we need to actively work towards reclaiming and decentralizing our public education system, and charter schools are effective means to that end. We at John Adams Academies, Great Hearts Academies, and Hillsdale Academies may be one election away from experiencing state pressure when it comes to sex ed., DEI training, and trasngender law suits, but parents and local board members and state administrators are increasingly seeing the need for alternative public programs and are becoming more willing to fight for the integrity of classical charter schools. We may not enjoy the benefit of a unified Christian curriculum and historical narrative taught explicitly in a theology class, but humans were discovering the objective truths of reality long before Christ and by virtue of reading the classics our students can't help but learn and discuss openly the doctrines and beliefs that have shapped Judeo-Christian religions.
Charter schools have their problems but they also have their place, and I think if Mr. Goodwin came to our John Adams Academies in the Sacramento area, and invite him to do so, he would give us a solid B at least.
A messy business for sure.